Rifaximin
Rifaximin is a gut antibiotic used for traveller's diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea and hepatic encephalopathy, available as Xifaxan tablets in 200mg, 400mg and 550mg.
What rifaximin treats
Rifaximin is an antibiotic that works in the digestive tract rather than through the bloodstream. It treats three problems: traveller's diarrhoea caused by bacteria such as E. coli, irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea, and hepatic encephalopathy — the confusion, drowsiness and muddled thinking that appear when a damaged liver can no longer clear toxins from the blood. In liver disease it is used to keep episodes from coming back.
Not every stomach upset belongs here. Diarrhoea that is bloody, or that comes with a fever, is not what rifaximin treats, and like other antibiotics it does nothing for colds, flu or other viral infections.
How rifaximin works
Rifaximin stays in the gut. Bacteria need protein-making machinery to multiply, and the drug jams it, which stops the germs behind traveller's diarrhoea. In liver disease the same action cuts the gut bacteria that make the toxins a failing liver cannot clear. Almost none reaches the blood; it passes through the bowel and out in the stool. It is filed with the other antibiotics, though few of them behave this way.
Taking the tablets
Water is enough, and meals make no difference. A usual day is two or three doses, evenly spaced. Traveller's diarrhoea starts to ease within a day or two and is treated for just a few days. Hepatic encephalopathy is the opposite case: there the tablets continue long term to keep episodes away.
Side effects to expect
Nausea, stomach pain or cramps, wind and bloating, headache, dizziness, unusual tiredness, and joint pain or muscle tightness are the ones people report most. A severe allergic reaction — hives or a rash, swelling of the face, throat, tongue or lips, trouble breathing or swallowing, a hoarse voice — needs urgent treatment. So does watery or bloody diarrhoea with cramps and a fever, whether it starts during the course or in the two months afterwards.
Xifaxan tablets and strengths
Xifaxan is the rifaximin product here: tablets in 200mg, 400mg and 550mg. Strength follows the condition rather than the person — 200mg three times a day is the traveller's diarrhoea strength, while 550mg three times a day is used for IBS with diarrhoea and to keep hepatic encephalopathy from returning.
Sources
- Rifaximin: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Rifaximin (oral route) - Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic
Is Rifaximin available to order in Hong Kong?
Rifaximin can be ordered online from PockDose with delivery to Hong Kong. The page carries generic Xifaxan tablets in 200mg, 400mg and 550mg, also sold as plain Rifaximin tablets in 200mg and 400mg. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or by Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Rifaximin prices shown?
The rifaximin product has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Rifaximin?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order rifaximin. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does rifaximin have?
Xifaxan is a brand name of rifaximin, which is also sold as Normix and Rifagut. Here, rifaximin can be bought online as generic Xifaxan. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does a course of rifaximin last?
It depends on what is being treated. Traveller's diarrhoea is usually a three-day course, IBS with diarrhoea runs for 14 days, and hepatic encephalopathy is managed continuously rather than for a fixed stretch. That is why the same 550mg tablet can be a short course for one condition and a long-term one for another.
Is rifaximin the same as Xifaxan?
Yes, Xifaxan is the brand name under which rifaximin is sold, and it is the version sold here, as 200mg, 400mg and 550mg tablets. The medicine inside is the same either way; what changes is the name on the pack.
Can rifaximin be taken with other medicines?
It interacts with very few, because almost none of it leaves the gut. The exceptions worth knowing are methotrexate, azathioprine and mercaptopurine, and the live cholera vaccine, which rifaximin can stop from working.